Augenblicke - The Twilight 25
by TiramiSue84
Summary: The Twilight 25 - Round 8: 25 prompts to inspire 25 stand-alone stories between 300-500 words each. Canon/OOC; drama, angst, romace, humor - everything is possible. Rated 'M' just in case... Mostly Edward/Bella
1. Early Morning Misery

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five – Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: #5**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/Characters: Bella/Emmett**

**Rating: T  
**

**Word count: 500 **

**Photo prompts can be found here:**

**thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts **

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"Don't give me that look, Swan."

"Dude, that's my face. My too-goddamn-early-in-the-morning-face." Yeah, I'm not a happy camper. Literally.

"Good thing I don't have to see it on a regular basis, then."

How anyone could crack jokes at five in the morning while others are struggling to keep their eyes open, is beyond me. It's just not normal! Clearly, there's something very, very wrong with Emmett Cullen. "Why am I friends with you again?"

"Because I'm adorable, all kinds of fantastic and because I have these," giving me his cheesiest smile, he proudly points at the two little dents appearing on his cheeks.

Groaning into my favorite pillow, I let myself fall back on the comfortable and extremely tempting wonderland that is my bed.

"Don't even think about it, Bella, it's not gonna happen." There's a chuckle and then a tap to my knee. "C'mon now, up . The others are waiting, so get your sorry ass moving."

Rolling over on my stomach, I grab the corner of the duvet and pull it over my head. "Don't care, go without me." If I can't see him, he can't see me either, right?

"Eh, no can do." He replies. I feel him tugging on the thin fabric covering my upper body and I tighten my own grip.

"Why not? Can't you see that I have something beautiful going on here? Besides, it's not like anyone will notice whether I'm around or not. You guys are all going to be busy doing couple stuff, leaving me somewhere in the woods to bore myself to death, so..."

I love my friends, really do, but being the proverbial fifth wheel gets a bit tiresome after a while.

Yeah, I'm a bit bitter also, but that's really not my friend's fault.

Sighing, I push duvet and pillow away and move off the bed. "Alright, fine. Let's go."

"Yes!" Emmett stands there, my bags already in hand, grinning from ear to ear. "You know, there's someone I want you to meet."

"What? Who?"

"Edward, of course. I told you he's tailing along."

"Eh, no? Who the hell is he?"

"Just my cousin. He's great; tall and funny, kinda cute too, I guess. You're gonna _love_ him." The wink he sends my way tells me all I need to know.

"Are you guys trying to set me up?"

"No, of course not! Why would we ever do that?" His voice is a bit too high-pitched, the smirk he tries to suppress a little too obvious.

"Alright, that's it, I'm not going."

Before I even have the chance to turn around, his hands grab me by the waist. "Hell yes, you are! And since you won't come on your own..."

My threat of murder is left ignored as Emmett makes his way down the stairs, my bags dangling from his one shoulder, and me from the other.

* * *

Big thanks go out to lovely Lellabeth for reading this over for me.

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. The Fallen

**Augenblicke – The Twilight Twenty-Five – Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**Prompt: #6**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/Characters: Bella (Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, Edward, Jasper)**

**Rating: T  
**

**Word count: 500**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

Some boys like to pretend they are cops chasing robbers, some that they are superheroes fighting villains.

However, at age nine, our boys imagined themselves to be noble knights slaying dragons and monsters, and protecting their makeshift castle from evil queens and kings threatening the kingdom. Of course, as princesses of the realm, it was the duty of Alice, Rosalie and me to be captured and held captive until the three of them came to save us from the brutal clutches of thin air with their little stick-swords. Usually, that meant we spent most of the time bound to a tree by a loosely-knotted rope or hidden away in garage-dungeons, plastic tiaras on our heads.

I'll never forget those days.

The perfect, never-ending days filled with candy, laughter and adventures; all the fun and freedom childhood—life granted us six back then... it turned out to be the best time we would have together.

We were barely out of high school and testing the waters of real life when everything changed—the whole world changed.

Jasper and my Edward were the first to leave.

After the Twin Towers had fallen and a very real war had been declared, the two of them went out into foreign territory to hunt and fight actual monsters.

Back then, at nineteen, I was convinced I already knew the difference between fiction—imagination, and reality—but it was the moment Edward returned back home in a coffin that I truly understood how severely they differ from another.

Imagined dragons cannot kill you.

We were still mourning the loss of him when news arrived that Jasper would return in a casket of his own.

The ten years that have passed since their funerals did nothing to ease the pain of their absence. The voids they have left behind were never filled; their ghosts never faded.

I miss them. Always.

All the more so during times like these.

Dressed in black once again, I hold on to Alice for dear life. The last round of chemo left her so pale and fragile. I fear she might crumble if I don't. Next to her stands Emmett, the remaining knight, only there is nothing noble about him anymore. Shaking and swaying, he stares into the distance, his bloodshot eyes more likely caused by the alcohol and chemicals running through his system, than by sadness.

The car came out of nowhere, hitting her full force. Rosalie never stood a chance. She was the only one I had to hold onto when life threatened to pull me down, the one who kept me sane. My best friend. As she's being laid to rest, a part of me goes with her. I feel myself slipping away.

By the time it's all over and I return home, I'm shaking all over. I swallow the correct amount of pills—just like the head doctor wants me to—and then crawl into bed to hide from the world.

Here in this shattered castle of mine.

* * *

Big thanks go out to lovely Bigblueboat for reading this over for me. 3

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. The Well

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five - Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #10**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/Characters: Rosalie**

**Rating: M**

**Word count: 482**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

She walks along the trail with slumped shoulders, staring at the ground, hiding her face with the hood of her black sweater. The linen bag she clutches tightly to her chest jingles and clangs with every step she takes. She doesn't care for the century-old trees reaching for the cloud-covered sky, or the lush green surrounding her; she just walks on over beaten paths toward her destination. The bright red breaks through the branches like a beacon calling her forward, and she quickens her step. However, when the young girl is a mere foot away from the well, she falters, pauses for a moment.

Slowly, her gaze set on the wooden plaque dangling from the shingled roof, she pulls the hood off her head in an almost devoutly manner. Her blonde hair comes loose and, framing her pale, blank face, falls down past her tense shoulders.

_Dreams come true here._

_Make a wish. Throw a coin._

_._

_Since 1826_

Her chest heaves as she inhales deeply, her lips quiver as she exhales while walking right up to the thick stone frame. Glancing into the seemingly endless abyss in front of her, she retrieves a single coin from the depths of her bag.

"I wish for Emmett McCarty to take me to prom." Sealing the deal with a fleeting kiss to the soiled surface, she lets the coin drop into the darkness of the funnel.

She takes another one out. "I wish for him to make me smile and kiss me like they do in the movies."

"I wish for Emmett to be my boyfriend." This time, three coins get thrown away.

She grabs for more. "I want him to love me and treat me right."

She hesitates for a second before thrusting her hand into the bag once more. "I want him to destroy all the ugliness and make it better." A whole handful of copper is send flying over the edge.

"I want him to take care of me, protect me." Her chin starts to quiver as she fumbles for more coins.

"I need him to save me from myself." More follow. "And them. Save me from _them_." Her breath quickens; tears don't waste time clinging to lashes, but fall freely, rapidly.

She's frantic. Cents, tears, parts of her soul - she spills them all. "I need these scars to vanish. Make them undone. Please!"

A fist slams down on solid stone. "The words, the looks, the fists. Take them! FUCKING TAKE THEM!"

And then she crumbles; shaky legs are giving in and she lets herself fall to the ground, drained."Make it stop. Just... make it stop. Please. I can't take it anymore... I'm not strong enough for this." Her voice breaks then, reducing her remaining words to a mere whisper.

"I can't go back home."

* * *

All typos and errors and nonsense are mine. :)

**Thanks for reading!**


	4. For the Record

**Augeblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five - Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #14**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/Characters: Bella/Edward**

**Rating: T**

**Word count: 500**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**Thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

Usually, I'm all for Tyler's no-organization whatsoever policy here at _Ty's_, but today I could strangle the guy for his bohemian bullshit.

Nothing is sorted; everything is chaotic, messy and time-consuming. That's the thing though: you are not meant to find what you are looking for, but to look for what you might find. I love it. Usually. Today, I want to rip Tyler's industrials from his ears for being a dumbass store owner.

I'm on the verge of going insane looking through rows upon rows of vintage vinyl without any luck. Sighing, I round the corner to the next aisle in hopes to be more successful there.

As I do so, some guy walks toward me. "Hey, Em, what about this one?"

It takes me second to realize that he's not talking to me, but to someone somewhere behind me. A fleeting glance tells me he's tall and quite good looking, but I'd have simply sidestepped him had I not also seen what he holds in his hands.

The very thing I am looking for.

I'm usually not one to chat up strangers, but desperate times and all that jazz, right? So, without thinking things through, I step right into the guy's way. "Um, hi."

He startles, but only for a second. "Hi."

"I know this sounds strange, but... are you going to buy that one?" I point at the record in his hand.

Green eyes widen in surprise, but he smiles. "What?"

"Look, ..."

"Edward."

"Alright, Edward, here is the deal: I _need_ this record."

"Are you for real?"

"Yes. I'm also desperate, okay? I've been looking for this one for over an hour now.

"But... why?" The bemused look on his face is pretty cute. _He_ is pretty cute. The toned built, coupled with the crooked perma-grin on his handsome face… desperation aside, it does something to me.

"It's my dad's birthday today, and I forgot to get him a present. Apparently, I broke his own copy when I was kid, and he never replaced it. It's the only thing I could think of getting him."

His eyes wander from the record, to me, and back. "What do I get in return? It's only fair I get some kind of compensation if I give this gem up, right?"

It's obvious Edward is up to something, so I decide to play along. "What do you want?"

"Hmm... how about your name, number, and a date?"

That cheeky bastard!

"You drive a hard bargain, dude, but I'm tempted to agree. Just for the record, of course." The smile I get in return is blinding. "I'm Bella." I'm so easy.

He grabs my hand, and we seal the deal. Edward makes sure we exchange numbers before handing over my prize.

With a silly smile on my face and _Smoke on the Water_ clutched to my chest, I walk over to the checkout register.

* * *

Thanks go out to Bigblueboat and Twilightladies1 for looking this over!

**Thanks for reading.**


	5. Playing Along

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five - Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #12**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/ Characters: Bella/Edward**

**Rating: T**

**Word count: 497**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**Thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

"Miss, are you alright?"

The unfamiliar voice pulls me from my messy thoughts. Blinking them open, it takes my eyes a second to get reacquainted with the bright in the vestibule.

As they adjust, my eyes fall on broad shoulders and a torso wrapped in a gray pea coat; looking further up and past a black scarf, there's a stubbled, angular jar, high cheek bones and the most spellbinding green eyes. Never had I seen a man so handsome.

"Miss?"

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

"Oh. Yes. It's nothing. Never mind me." I try to give him an assuring smile, but I doubt I'm convincing.

"Are you sure? You looked a little… out of it."

A charmer he is not. Way to go and make the past craptastic fifteen minutes even crappier by commenting on my looks.

My annoyance must have shown on my face, for he backpedals right away with his hands held up in front of him. "No no no, that's not what I meant! You are beautiful. Really. It's just… you stood there, eyes closed and your bag by your feet, leaning against a wall in the middle of the station, and at this time no less. I got a bit worried."

"Well, thank you, stranger, but I'm fine. Just needed to take a breather," I say, picking up my purse.

"From what?"

"Saw something I'd have preferred to not see."

He frowns.

Sighing, I motion for him to follow me as I walk back to the corner that leads to the platforms. "Do you see the couple all huddled up together over there? That's my ex and the girl he cheated on me with."

"No shit?"

"No shit."

"So, you were hiding."

"Pretty much. Not because I'm still hung up on him, though! We live in the same area, so running into them was inevitable. I'd just hoped for a bit of revenge and victory on my part when the day came, you know?"

"Hmm. Tell me, where are you headed?"

"Downtown, to meet some friends."

The train rolls in then.

"Perfect. Me, too. I know it's crazy, but if you're willing to trust a virtual stranger, I think I can help you with that."

Maybe there is something wrong with me, but I take the hand he holds out, and together we rush toward the train. Once in the car, we end up standing not too far away from the other couple. I only get one glance in before my faux-lover turns me to him and reclaims my attention.

"You should see the latest ideas Alice has for the wedding."

"Show me!"

He pulls out his phone and fiddles with it. He hands it to me. Laughter bursts through my lips; there's a dancing cow flashing me. I can see the stranger shrug his shoulders, a smile spreading further across his face; his eyes connect with someone behind me.

When we get off at the next stop, laughter is still spilling from me.

* * *

HUGE thanks go out to Bigblueboat. I was really messy with this one.

**Thank you all for reading and the great feedback I've been receiving!**


	6. The Bare Truth

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five - Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #13**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/ Characters: Alice/Jasper**

**Rating: T**

**Word count:467**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**Thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

It's been a while since I last stood in front of this door with my hand raised, knocking three times, just like I used to. Back then when things were real and great, that was our thing: three knocks followed by one tap with the tip of your shoe. I forego the last part this time.

I don't want to be here, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't want me to be, either. Still, I wait a good two minutes before I knock again and then two more. I know she's home. She's just being an asshole. Well, two can play that game.

A finger moves to the doorbell and presses... presses... presses, forcing her to drop her act in the most obnoxious way.

The tirade of annoyance dies on my lips as the door finally opens and she stands, half hiding behind the white, wooden door. Dark hair is worn down and messy; her lips are a pale pink, not a bright red. There's no jewelry dangling from her ears and arms, or makeup sheeting her eyes and face. Thin fabric doesn't cling to her every curve; they're hidden by a mass of thick wool.

She's not standing in heels; her feet are as bare as her legs, as herself.

Her smile isn't wide and fake as it usually is these days. She's not smiling at all.

"Alice?"

Blue eyes flicker up to meet my face once, and then she's gone, shuffling up the stairs, leaving me behind on the cusp of being either here or there. There being the part where I place her homework assignments on the coffee table and walk out and home as if nothing happened and everything stays as it is. Here being the part where I follow her up and re-tie binds that had been split years ago.

The door falls closed behind me, and I take the steps two at a time.

She looks so young and small sitting on her bed; so pure without the cover of her mask.

Just like she did back then, the only difference being that she was a kid back then and is a beautiful, young woman now.

If only I could have her like this all the time. Not sad and frail, but with her walls down and that ridiculous veil of plastic she likes to dress herself with gone. If only she would stop trying to be someone she is not.

"Alice." Toeing off my shoes, I settle down next to her.

"They are getting divorced. He found someone else… They're having a baby." Her words are as chopped as her breathing.

Two years of nothing disappear as I wrap my arms around her and lay us down, her face in my neck, her sobs on my skin.

* * *

Again, I have to thank Bigblueboat for reading this over for me and fixing my nonsense. :)

**Thanks so much for reading!**


	7. The Forlorn Sister

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five - Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #19**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/ Characters: Kate**

**Rating: M**

**Word count: 477**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**Thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

Every day on my way to work I walk by the cemetery, and as much as I tell myself not to do it, every day I stop to stare for a minute. My gaze wanders over the rows upon rows of tombstones—small and big, simple and intricate, well-groomed and neglected—and then, just as predictably, my mind follows.

Whether I want to or not, I stand there and imagine the day they will lay me to rest. Of course I don't know about the when, why or how my life will come to an end, only that it'll happen. No matter what kind of life you live, whether you are kind or cruel, generous or gentle, in death we are all the same. There's a time frame we're given, and when it comes to an end, so do we.

I always picture there to be heavy raindrops falling from an overcast sky as they lower me into the ground. A priest would speak a few words he thinks represent my life well, but the drumming sound of rain connecting with stone, wood, grass and ground will drown out each and every syllable. It's okay though, because—and this is the only almost certainty besides dying I have—there won't be too many people there, anyway.

See, here's the thing: in my family, your worth is defined by your looks and your smarts, what you achieve in life. If you are dumb but stunning to look at, you're fine, and if you're ugly but possess the intelligence to make up for it, they let that pass, too. My sisters were lucky enough to get blessed with both, a combination that made them the princesses of the clan.

Me… not so much. I'm the prime example of the ever-neglected middle child, and then some. My nose was always a bit too big, my teeth too crooked, my jaw too broad to be considered pretty; and try as I might, my grades never made it above average. Then, as my sisters landed their top-notch jobs and found their perfect houses to live in with their filthy-rich and successful husbands, I was stuck in my mediocre job living my mediocre at best life. I went from black sheep to outcast quite fast.

It's not only them, though. The lonelier and further unloved I felt, the more I shoved food down my throat, the more my body expanded, the more I felt like a loser, and the less I felt up to interacting with the remaining few round me.

I don't have friends, just a few co-workers. And that one guy I dated during my last year at college aside, I don't do well with men or relationships, either.

The minute passes and I walk on: lonely, unloved, hopeless and empty, I leave the graveyard behind.

It's part of the routine.

* * *

Big thank you goes out to Bigblueboat for reading over this. Go, and check out her flashes, they are great!

**Thank you all for reading! **

**-Sue**


	8. A Ride To Remember

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five - Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #01**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/Characters: E/B**

**Rating: M**

**Word count: 492**

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**Photo prompts can be found here**

**Thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

I'm moving around in the seat, trying to get comfortable as I watch other passengers stow away their luggage and find their own seats. Retrieving my messenger bag from between my feet, I rummage through its contents, trying to decide which one of the three books I packed to read first. I'd rather listen to some music, but I really need the battery to last.

I've only made it a few pages into _Jane Eyre_, when there is a tap to my shoulder. "Swan?"

It's been a while since I've been addressed like that, and sure enough, as I look up, my eyes fall on someone I used to know. Kind of. "Cullen."

He grins. "Is this seat taken?"

I shake my head no, and he plunks down beside me. "So you remember my name, huh?"

"After I heard it blaring from speakers, yelled through hallways, and chanted on Friday nights for two years, I think it will take me a bit longer to forget about your name." Everybody back home knew and loved the Cullen family, their prodigal-athlete sons, in particular. Even someone like me, who didn't exactly run in the same circles, couldn't escape their name. Or charm.

"One minute in and already you get cheeky with me." He mock-sighed, drawing his lips up into a pout.

"I'm sure you deserve it."

We get to talking then, and it's great. It's the first in-depth conversation we've ever had, and I come to realize that not only is Edward charismatic and intelligent, he's also a good storyteller. Half of the things he tells me about his college experience and stuff his friends and brother have done, leave me wondering whether he is telling the truth or fucking with me. I blame it on the mischievous glint in his eyes and crooked smile accompanying most of his words.

It's after a particularly hilarious tale that I burst out cackling, effectively disrupting the somewhat quiet of the bus, that we lean in further as we speak.

Sunlight fades, and a veil of darkness is placed upon the world flashing by us. The hum of the car, in combination with the dimming light, get to me quickly, and as much as I want to keep on listening to Edward's voice some more, I'm lulled into sleep within minutes.

I wake up to two marvelous things. The first being the feeling of Edward's body cuddled into my back, one arm wrapped around my middle, holding my hand, his lips and breath brushing against my skin.

The second being the reflection of us—together—in the window pane. Only barely awake, I see myself grinning like a fool and the small smile playing on his lips.

Of two things I am certain now.

Having him home in Forks as well will make the holidays so much more entertaining.

The crush I used to have on Edward Cullen is back. Full force.

* * *

Once again, I have to thank Bigblueboat for fixing my mess-ups. :)

**Thanks so much for reading! **


	9. Untitled

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five - Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #03**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/Character(s): Bella/Edward**

**Rating: T**

**Word count: 499**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**Thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

"It's time," I say as I bury my face deeper into your chest, wrapping my arms a little tighter around your body.

You remain quiet, but I feel the way you shake your head minutely atop of mine before placing a kiss there.

"Edward-"

"Not yet." I feel your chest expand as you inhale. I know what you are doing: you're grasping at straws—clinging—trying to take as much of me in as you can, savoring it, putting it all to memory. I know for sure that's what it is because I did the same earlier with my ear pressed against your chest, listening to the tattoo of your heartbeat.

So you breathe me in while I breathe you in, and as much as I want to spend an eternity doing just that, we can't. We knew for a while this day would come, and yet, it happened too fast. This is your one big chance—your dream, though, and I won't keep you from living it.

"Come with me."

There it is again, the plea I'm too tempted to meet, the one that brings me to my knees. One penny for everytime you said these words and we would be on our way to something bigger together instead of having to part at these city limits.

My answer remains the same and you sigh, moving your hands up and along my arms and shoulders until they cradle my face. You make me look up, but it's hard to meet your eyes. What I'll find in them can either break me or make me give in, and I'm scared of both.

"I love you so much, it hurts."

"So much."

"I cannot do this without you, baby. I need you."

"It's only for a year." Your lips press against mine, and it gets harder for me to breathe.

"You're so much stronger than me."

I'm not.

"Edward, you earned this. You _have_ to go."

"I swear I will come back to you, but... Just promise not to put your life on hold for me."

"I won't."

But I will.

The last kiss we share could fill a lifetime, but it's still not enough. Frantic promises and declarations are exchanged before you finally pull away and get in your car.

The tears I managed to hold back fall freely as I watch you disappear in the distance.

Now more than ever, a year feels like an eternity, and I want to scream, shout, curse myself for having let you go. I want to undo every single time I claimed I'd be fine and let you whisk me away.

All I do, though, is break down and cry in the middle of the road, wishing for him to come back to me.

Time passes but my sobs never subside. Even as I hear the car approaching and then doors slamming, I can't seem to calm down.

"Baby, don't cry. It's okay. I tried, but I couldn't do it. I'm here."

* * *

A big chunk of love goes out to Bigblueboat for fixin all the thing I mess up. :)

And HUGE thank you to everybody reading and reviewing this! I'm amazed by the amount of positive feedback these flashes have gotten.

**Thanks so much, you guys! 3**


	10. The Sights Unseen

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five - Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #16**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/Character(s): Bella**

**Rating: T**

**Word count: 485**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**Thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

My eyes follow my pointer finger as it traces along pale-colored lines and contours, some straight, some curved, zig-zagged or dotted. I can't help but envy the ease with which they travel across foreign lands and seas. If only it were as easy for me as well, to be able to pack a bag and just up and leave.

Ever since I was a little girl, I admired the oversized world map that was hung in my grandparents living room, and my love for it only intensified when they gave it to me on my sixteenth birthday three years ago. Only, more so than having helped me along with my studies, it made me daydream about all the places I could go.

Really, the possibilities are endless; given the chance, I wouldn't know where to travel first! Villages, towns, cities, states, countries, continents… I want to see them all.

I could visit La Segrada Familia and the Casa Milà in Barcelona, or roam along the Champs-Élysées in Paris before visiting the Eiffel Tower and Louvre. I want to brush my fingertips over the ancient stone of the Colosseum in Athens and the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.

To take a picture of the sun setting behind the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and the Taj Mahal in Agra are top ten items on my bucket list of things I want to achieve in my life. I want to let the giant trees in the rainforests of South America intimidate me and be put to awe by the sight of the Victoria Waterfalls in Zambia before lounging in Devil's Pool. I want to go whale watching on Vancouver Island, and dig my toes into the pure, white sand at Whitehaven Beach. To take in the lush greens of Ireland and the hills of Scotland, to wander along the century old castles and manors in the South of England would be a dream come true. Or maybe visit ancient temples in Asia, or go backpacking through New Zealand.

I want to meet people and learn about their cultures. And the food, I want to try it all—even fried bugs in Thailand!

Maybe, I'll just start by road-tripping all through the US; coast to coast, South to North. Just me, my faithful car, Betty, and the freedom of traveling the roads—the land, by my own pace, and my own rules.

Turning away from the wall I had pinned the map to I walk over to my bed, drop down on my knees and retrieve my tip jar from beneath it.

My dreams fade one after the other as I count the contents.

One hundred thirty-two dollars and eighty-seven cents.

Not enough to quench my wanderlust.

Not enough to leave this fucking podunk town and its aimless, narrow-minded people behind for good.

Not even enough money to revisit the beauty that is the public library in good old Seattle.

* * *

Once again, thanks go out to Bigblueboat for looking this over for me, on top of being awesome in general! :)

**Thanks so much for reading! **


	11. Something Sweet

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five - Round 8**

**TheTwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #20**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/Character(s): Bella/Edward**

**Rating: K+**

**Word count: 500**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**Thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

It started when we were around six.

We were playing tag in the Cullen's back yard. I think it was Emmett who snuck the chewing gum to the boys, even though we weren't supposed to have any. The game got out of hand after a while as tugging turned into shoving and was brought to an end when Edward tackled me to the ground. Scratched open knees and palms made me whimper; but it was hours later, after Esme detected the tangled mess of gum and hair on my head, that I started wailing. Dark strands and tears fell in equal amounts to the floor that day.

When Edward came to apologize later on, it was with a hint of cherry-gum still on his breath and a kiss to my cheek.

.

.

On my ninth birthday, the pretty white dress my grandma had sewn for me got ruined by thick globs of chocolate cake, after Edward bumped into me. I cried into my fathers hip while my friend got chastised by his mother.

His lips were still coated with my birthday cake when he pressed them on my face.

.

.

One year later, it was the brand new doll he killed that caused me to get upset with him.

Sugar grains stuck to my cheek long after he had pulled away.

.

.

On my parent's fifteenth wedding anniversary, they made me sleep over at the Cullen house. His father had built a fort made out of reams of blankets and pillows, and even attached fairy lights to the roof.

Edward and I watched movies and stuffed our faces with popcorn and candy until late into the night. Then, after his parents went to bed, Edward thought it would be fun to tease me mercilessly with horror stories about monsters and killers who had it out only for brown-haired girls. And as much as I tried to not get scared and fought back the tears, he noticed.

Whether it was part of his scheme or just an opportunity he saw, I can't really say. But I could taste the caramel on his lips when he touched them to mine.

.

.

When I was seventeen, a boy asked me out for homecoming. Edward found me standing outside my house, dressed up, waiting for the boy to pick me up. I didn't understand then why he was so upset with me, only that it hurt immensely, when he said the dress and makeup I wore made me look pretty dumb. I marched away without granting him another glance from my tear-filled eyes.

The evening was ruined and I returned home much earlier than I had planned. Edward sat on the steps, looking as miserable as I felt. I intended to walk straight into the house, but once I reached the door, he pulled me back.

Cherry Coke with a hint of rum, that's what I tasted on his tongue that night.

.

.

Today, his kisses taste of fresh mint instead of candy.

"Are you happy, Mrs. Cullen?"

"Always."

* * *

Another flash done :)

Thanks go out to Bigblueboat for looking this over for me. Go check out her TT25 flashes, they are great!

**Thanks so much for reading!**


	12. The Wilting Flower

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five**

**thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #24**

**Pen Name: Tiramisue84**

**Pairing/Character(s): Bella**

**Rating: T**

**Word Count: 488**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here:**

**thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

When I first stepped into the water, the sun stood high and proud in the sky. Time must have slipped past by me like so many things in my life, for all that's now left of the formerly mighty orb is a thin line sinking into the sea.

The water is even colder than the evening air, and my body reacts accordingly; goosebumps erupt all over as I'm being caressed by the soft push of the waves crashing against my knee caps and the chilled touch of the breeze playing along my bare arms. I don't mind. On the contrary, I welcome them both. It's nice to feel..._something._

It's been so long since I've let another person come close enough—since someone wanted to come that close—that I can't help but imagine the touches to be real; that they are induced by someone who cares, instead of two elements of nature who take me as nothing more than an obstacle to be passed.

It's been so long. The loneliness—once a fleeting occurrence invading my mind and soul—has become a throbbing ache I carry within me constantly. I'm lonely and aching, desperate for something I don't know how to find. And what I'm aching for is more than my father's awkward hugs and pats on the back or my mom's airy kisses. What I'm longing for—what I have been longing for ever since I was a teenage girl—is this crazy-stupid, all-consuming, silly-wild type of love that leaves you breathless. The kind that takes as much as it gives, filled with fluttering tummies and fiery passion.

"Don't ever settle for less than you deserve, my sweet girl," my mom used to say. "The right one will step into your life one day and whisk you off your feet. Just wait." And I did; waited, never settled, watched as friends and fellow classmates fell in out of love, observed the goofy smiles and tear-streaked faces.

High school and college passed, and I had my fair share of dates and kisses, covered a few bases, but never more. No guy I met felt right enough to take that step with, so I waited some more, convinced that my patience would be rewarded soon enough.

I was wrong.

I turned forty last week, and I'm still a virgin. Only, I'm not Steve Carell or the awkward protagonist in some romance novel that bumps into her prince charming right after declaring having given up on love. The kind I like to escape in and play pretend when the aching void I hide inside threatens to morph into a full-blown black hole, trying to suck me in.

I'm not starring in some Hollywood flick or fairy tale, though. It's the sad, pathetic reality of a girl that was promised too much, that had held her hopes too high, and ended up missing out.

Maybe I should have settled after all.

* * *

Just wanna say Bigblueboat made me do it! :) And thanks to her, this is actually readable! Go read her flashes, they are fantastic!

Also, I'm all for exclamation points today!

**Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, you guys!**

-Sue

!


	13. Practice

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty Five - Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #21**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/Character(s): Bella/Alice**

**Rating: K**

**Word count: 500**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**Thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

"Just drop the towel, Bella!"

"I don't know." I knew I was being silly, but I just couldn't help clutching the soft fabric a little tighter, holding it safely in place wrapped around my torso and thighs.

Alice, of course, saw the movement. Rolling her eyes, she flipped a few droplets of water my way. "Stop being such a chicken. It's just a bikini!" Her voice rose with the last word, causing my eyes to widen in horror.

"Would you shut up! They are going to hear!" My gaze flicked over to the far end of the garden, to the wooden fence that separated properties. The boards stood high, just not high enough to keep three cheeky and rangy high schoolers that happen to live next door from sneaking a peek.

"Then lose the freaking towel and get in here, Swan!"

"Ugh. Fine!" Scowling, I slowly peeled the thick piece of terry from my skin.

And then I stood there, exposed to the world—or rather, the Brandon's backyard—clad in my very first, barely there, teal colored bikini. When I told Alice that I finally managed to convince my dad I had outgrown my old one-piece and needed a new one, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind. I'm pretty sure neither did Charlie.

According to Alice, regular bathing suits were more for little kids and old ladies, not fifteen year olds. Though I wasn't all that convinced, and only after some nagging and bribery on her part, I eventually gave in and bought the thing.

"C'mon, Bella. The bikini is so cute and looks even cuter on you. Nothing to worry about. Also, if we're all going to the beach on Friday, you'll have to wear it anyway. And we agreed that—"

"I'd practice feeling comfortable wearing it today, I know. Yada yada." I grumbled, before finally joining my friend in the water.

We splashed and swam around, dove along the length of the pool to see who could hold their breath the longest, or tried to dunk the other.

"So," Alice started after a while. "Jasper asked me on a date."

"He did?!" My gaze snapped back to the fence.

"Yep. Movies and ice cream. Gosh, I'm so excited!" Two years younger than his brothers, Jasper Cullen was the same age as us. Alice has been crushing on him for months now, so we both squealed and giggled at that development.

"Will you kiss him?"

"I would. I mean, I want to. It's just… I'm not sure I'm good at it." She paused to chew on her lip. "Maybe I just… Don't freak out, okay?"

And then her lips pressed against mine. It was just a peck, but it still left me momentarily stunned. Seconds passed; we just stared at each other.

"That bad?"

"No. You just caught me off guard."

"Oh."

"Try again?"

"DO IT!"

I didn't need to check where the whooping and hollering came from or who was responsible for it.

I knew.

* * *

Thanks go out to my personal grammar cleanser, Bigblueboat. You're the best!

**Thank you all so much for reading, reviewing and favs! I really, really appreciate the amazing feedback! **

-Sue


	14. Liquid Courage

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five - Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #8**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/Character(s): Bella/Edward**

**Rating: T**

**Word count: 499**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**Thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

I was standing at the bar, waiting for the bartender to make my drink. Seeing as that would be my third in less than hour, I should probably consider toning it down some; however, desperate times—and the onslaught of hyena-like cackling that reached my ears from the opposite end of the restaurant just then—called for desperate measures. I needed the liquid courage to help me make it through all the fake interest and plastic smiles that awaited me back at the table for the rest of the evening.

I'd end up shoving my heel into someone's throat if I had to endure my tedious company sober. The only good thing about my mandatory presence here was that drinks and food came for free.

Another round of high-pitched laughter reaches my eardrums right as my colorful drink is placed in front of me. It takes all the strength I can muster not to down the whole thing and hightail it out of this joint.

"Excuse me. Are you Jessica?"

The tirade about how I was _so_ not in the mood for cheap pick-up lines—albeit spoken with a deep, sultry voice—died on my lips as I turned my head to face the intruder.

_Hot damn!_

Tall and toned, he stands there, his hair in disarray, stubble shadowing the most handsome face I've encountered in real life. And to top it all off, the sexy bastard is wearing a suit.

"Um."

"Sorry, I know I'm late. I got held up at the office. Did you find here okay?"

"It's all right, I guess. Listen, I'm pretty sure I'm not the one you are looking for."

"What? Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"Well, shit." He actually looks crestfallen.

"Blind date?" There's no way he's playing a game.

"My sister's doing. I'm supposed to meet this friend of hers that's just 'perfect for me', and all she told me was the name and that she'd be a gorgeous brunette wearing a black dress. So when I saw you, well..."

Gah! Is this guy even real?

"If it's any consolation, I kinda wish my name was Jessica right now." And then the alcohol took over. "Tell you what, I'm stuck here for at least another hour. If your girl is a no-show or she turns out to be whacky, find me and I'll buy you a drink. Deal?"

"Deal." His smile is blinding. "Can I get a name with that offer, though?"

"I'm Bella."

His lips part to answer, but a woman in a black dress and dark hair interrupts him. "Hi, I'm Jessica. Are you Edward Cullen?"

Despite the nasal voice, she's quite stunning. I can already see him walking away with her. I can't deny how the thought leaves me uneasy.

"No, name's John. Sorry."

Visibly disappointed, she leaves.

I want to ask him what that was all about, but he takes my hand. Leaning in, his lips brush against my skin "I'm Edward. Nice to meet you."

* * *

So, Bigblueboat is my own, personal hero! Go check out her TT25 flashes, they're fantastic!

**Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing!**

-Sue


	15. The Epiphany

**Augenblicke - The Twilight Twenty-Five - Round 8**

**Thetwilight25 dot com**

**.**

**Prompt: #07**

**Pen name: TiramiSue84**

**Pairing/Characters: Edward**

**Rating: M**

**Word count: 500**

**.**

**Photo prompts can be found here**

**Thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts**

**.**

* * *

It's been fifteen years.

Fifteen years since I turned my back on rich colors and towering woods to embrace the never ending noise and all encompassing dull gray of the city jungle.

Since I traded the predictable, secure bubble I thought I wanted for unforeseeable everythings and nothings, I needed to find who I thought I was supposed to be.

Since I left the small-town people with their small-town dreams and ambitions behind to reach for the sky and make my name known.

Since I abandoned my parents and siblings, my friends and my girl to find the bigger things I felt were meant for me.

Six months, they say I have left.

They said a great deal more, but it's the same three things that echo in my ears on a loop.

Cancer. Metastasized. Incurable.

With every step I take over soggy soil and wet leaves in the silence of the approaching twilight, they scream louder, sink in deeper.

I was going to die. Soon. It wasn't just a possibility anymore—you know, the kind people like to meet with their carpe diem ideology when it's all fun and games. It was the real deal kind of thing. It's over. Done.

Maybe it's the shock and confusion, but I'm not feeling angry or sad that I'm being robbed off the years I thought I'd be granted. I'm not lamenting all the things I didn't achieve and places I never saw—and never will.

I regret, and I mourn.

I regret these past fifteen years.

Though I'd like to believe my health would have remained perfectly fine for a while longer had I stayed back down home, I know that's not necessarily right. But it's the hope, the knowledge, that my life would have been exceedingly more fulfilled if I had that makes me regret having left in the first place. For here, I have nothing. I _am_ nothing.

Turns out, the dull, gray jungle was a little too big and wild for me. My fingertips never so much as grazed the sky, and the man I meant to find must have gotten lost along the way.

But most of all, I mourn the arrogance and foolishness that lead me to cut out those who matter the most.

My fingers tighten around the phone. It's been so long since I talked to any of them. It's just pathetic and sad that I needed this thing that eats me up from the inside to make me realize just how much I miss them, long for them, need them.

I pray for the number I dial to still be working.

I crave for one of them to wrap their arms around me and hold me tight, but if they've come to hate me, the sound of their voices will have to suffice. Even that is probably more than I deserve.

"Cullen."

And one word spoken from that voice… it's enough to shatter what little kept me upright.

"Mom…" I'm sobbing, breaking.

"Edward?"

* * *

Huge thanks go once again out to Bigblueboat for fixing my messes, kicking my butt, and holding my hand (though there's definitely more butt kicking than hand holding involved).

And I'd also like to thank everybody who takes the time who reads my little flashes here. I really appreciate all the great feedback and nice words!

-Sue

.

10 more to go...


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